Katz opened the door, detected a faint pulse and shot the opioid inverter naloxone (known by the brand name Narcan) in the man’s nose. He then managed the CPR. The man survived.
More 1 million The Americans were not that lucky.
Americans are killed by drugs mixed with the synthetic opioid fentanyl. But the good news is that naloxone, which can reverse the effects of fentanyl death, is now available for free in Georgia, and anyone can get it. Drug testing kits available at nominal fees at some pharmacies can also help people avoid overdose deaths.
Credit: Michael Scaturro
Credit: Michael Scaturro
About 97,000 Americans died from opioid overdose in 2024, according to the National Institutes of Health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this is twice as many people killed in car accidents in the same year.
Opioid deaths in the US increased by 103% between 2017 and 2024, while NIH fell by 14% between 2023 and 2024.
In Georgia, deaths from opioid-related overdose increased by 207% from 2010 to 2020. According to to the Georgia Department of Health (DPH).
Chattooga, Bibb, Spalding, Carroll and Richmond counties had the highest overdose rates in December 2024.
Overdose with fentanyl account Regarding 70% of deaths, the CDC said.
Fentanyl is used in hospitals to treat chronic or severe pain after surgery. Because fentanyl is inexpensive, it is also used in drug cartels to reduce costs sauce From China and 100 times more powerful than morphine, the drug grade version of heroin.
Katz said many IV drug users are spared because they have learned to test fentanyl heroin before shooting.
Credit: Michael Scaturro
Credit: Michael Scaturro
But casual drug users aren’t necessarily having that experience, Katz said they were killed by party drugs like cocaine and tablets mixed with opioids like fentanyl.
Approximately 42% of tablets tested for fentanyl contained at least 2 mg of the drug. According to to the US Drug Enforcement Bureau. DEA did not specify the year that the test was conducted or the sample size.
In 2022, Katz led the lobbying, expanding access to naloxone and test kits, and ultimately took place in the Georgia free Narcan/Naloxone program.
Last April, Gov. Brian Kemp signed a bill that would allow everyone in the school to own and manage naloxone.
Each test kit costs around $10 and is available with fentanyl and xylazine, veterinarian tranquilizers that can be found on several drugs and cause death.
Stop HIV Atlanta offers free fentanyl test strips through its website, https://stophivatl.org/free-fentanyl-test-strip/. Pharmacy like Katz sells test strips and distributes free Narcan/Naloxone nose sprays.
Katz says there are too few people who know about these life-saving interventions, and he hopes more pharmacies will offer all three items.
“I can’t tell anyone who came back here and told me someone who used it to save their lives,” he said. “Test before using.”
